Louise Worthington

Feb 8, 20231 min

PEN OF THE DAMNED. A FREE SHORT STORY.

Updated: Mar 29

https://penofthedamned.com/

Nameless, a horror short story by Louise Worthington

Only when she is dead will it stop coming for her. Only under the earth,
 
when air is no longer a tormenter, will she be free to rest her weary head.
 
There is no place that she can hide. No place where she can be who and what she
 
is – was – is without it eating neurons. No matter the distance. No matter the
 
country. She has no memory: no family or home. No roots. Earthbound: trapped
 
and homeless inside a shrinking head.

‘There is no one to say goodbye to, is there?...’

She thinks it’s the ancient tree moaning in the autumn breeze and to soothe
 
it, she places a frail hand on the bark grown thick and strong with every
 
passing year. Her skin is as thin as paper.

‘No, I don’t think so.’

What fantasy can a splintering woman have, except to lie beside the stolid
 
tree as though nature is her friend, too?

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